Sarah Pepper, co-host of ‘Sarah Pepper & Jessie Watt Mornings’ on Audacy’s Mix 96.5 (KHMX-FM) in Houston, was recognized for her community outreach at the 37th annual Celebrity Paws Mission: Pawsible! Gala for Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) on November 18, which raised $850K to assist homeless animals through sheltering, adoption, education, spaying/neutering and low-cost wellness. Acknowledged alongside Sarah Pepper were Dr. John Cangelosi and Natasha “Tosh” Minor, Carson Brown, Angela Hernandez, Daniel Irion and Kirk Kveton, Dr. Roxy Riefkohl, Morgan and Kenny Webster, Rebecca and Anthony Yanez, Brigitte Kalai and Sharron Melton.

The board of directors and gala chairs, Jody Merritt and Christine Johnson, selected honorees based on their brand, fundraising and community involvement.  

Over the past six months, Pepper hosted more than just her morning show. She arranged campaigns and fundraisers, including a pickleball tournament, Pickleball for Paws, to raise awareness for the nonprofit. She also leveraged her platform as a media personality by featuring CAP representatives and pets who found their “furever” homes on her show and segment, Positively Pepper. 

Pepper is a dog mom of two rescues, Douglas and William (Willie). She shared The Post Oak Hotel ballroom runway with Willie and a boy from the Sunshine Kids nonprofit, who bonded over both having one eye. The trio was cheered on by 800 attendees and later by Pepper’s 96.5 family on socials @965houston.

As she reflected on the event, Pepper continued encouraging her community to do whatever they could to support Houston’s homeless animals, nothing too big or small.